Putnam wastewater plant upgrades lauded

The Putnam Water Pollution Control Authority has won an award for the sewage treatment plant that’s been years in the making.

The Atlantic States Rural Water and Wastewater Association awarded its annual Facility Improvement Award in recognition of the “WPCA’s continued commitment to protecting public health and surface water quality through significant upgrades to their facilities.”

The award comes as the town is finishing $18.8 million in upgrades to the facility.

“This is a peer award,” said Town Administrator Douglas Cutler. “This award shows we’re very progressive in making sure our infrastructure is up to par, meeting regulatory requirements and the needs of our community.”

The town’s sewage treatment plant had not had any significant upgrades since it came online in the mid-1970s, Cutler said, and since then, federal regulatory requirements — and the age of the facility — have demanded upgrades. However, Putnam often could not afford the improvements, he said.

Cutler said there were times when parts had to be manufactured because they could no longer be purchased for the aging equipment.

In 2009, the sewer authority began the work of getting the facility upgraded and was able to secure almost half of the cost in grants, leaving users to pay the rest in rate increases.

The major work on the plant is essentially done, but some construction is expected to continue into the early part of 2014.

The new facility, which essentially has been completely rebuilt, can handle 2.3 million gallons of sewage a day, Cutler said. Putnam currently produces about 1.2 million gallons per day.

Public Works Director Jerry Beausoleil recently said when it’s done, the system will be fully automated and will put water back into the Quinebaug River that is cleaner than the water being taken out of it. The water will also be treated using ultraviolet light rather than chemicals, he said.

The part of the project that might be most appreciated by the public is a new way of handling odors, he said. Currently, there are days when the odor from the plant wafts across Putnam, sometimes into downtown, depending on the wind. When complete there should no longer be any odors, Beausoleil said.

The association’s executive director, Steven Levy, said the award was given to Putnam because the town, its sewer authority and their employees have made a total commitment to improving and upgrading their wastewater system to meet stricter requirements that aim to protect the environment.

Mayor Peter Place said the award highlights just some of the work Putnam has done to upgrade its infrastructure. A major upgrade to Putnam’s water systems is also under way.

Cutler said Putnam is in discussions with Thompson to take on its sewage needs. The facility can handle Thompson’s needs and increased development in Putnam, he said.

“We don’t want to be in a position where we can’t accommodate the needs of local businesses,” Cutler said. “We want current and potential businesses to know we’ve done the work necessary to provide the infrastructure they need. This gives them a great deal of confidence that the town of Putnam is on top of the situation and is ensuring the infrastructure is there and the capacity will be there.”